Books and the Bold
by Phnxgirl
Summary: A trip to the bookstore, and some wise words from a 5-year-old, what could go wrong for Draco?


Okay, please be forgiving. This is my first story on this site in 12 years. I may be a bit rusty here.

Anywho, I am posting this today, for the birthday of my first fanfic writer friend MissiAmphetamine. Happy Birthday dear, and thank you for all your wonderful words of encouragement! No, this is not the sad/hurt comfort I had planned, but just something fun and fluffy for you, enjoy!

Thank you much to my fanfic second writer friend acro acro for giving this a once (and twice) over for me before I posted. Any lingering mistakes are my own.

And of course, anything you recognize does not belong to me. I just enjoy dabbling in other people's brilliant ideas!

* * *

"Scorpius, last warning! You have thirty seconds to pick two books or we're leaving and you're not getting any. Hurry up!" A stern voice carried across the bookstore. Draco Malfoy sighed as he heard his 5-year-old son scamper around the children's section of Flourish and Blotts. He carried his own selections towards the cash register and awaited his son.

After an hour of selecting books, or playing in the kid's area in Scorpius's case, it was time to wrap up the Malfoys' weekly trip to the bookstore.

"Must we do this every week? Keep this up, and we won't come here on Thursdays anymore," Draco chastised his son gently.

"Noooo! Papa, I'm sorry. I was helping to put away the books I didn't want," Scorpius explained when he arrived. "Here's my books, please and thank you!"

"Thank you for being so polite. Now where is a cashier?" Draco wondered aloud as he glanced around the store.

"I'll be right with you," a voice called out from a few aisles over.

"No rush," Draco responded as he set their selections on the counter. Scorpius stood on his tip toes to examine the objects there.

"Look, Papa, I can read the jar!" Scorpius announced. "Donate to Saint Mungo's Orp-han-age..."

"Orphanage," Draco corrected the pronunciation. "What are you doing, Scorp?" he asked as he felt a small hand in the pocket of his cloak.

"Getting your money you don't know what to do with."

At the puzzled look on Draco's face, he continued. "The jar says to give your spare change. And since Mummy is no longer living with us, you keep saying you have more money than you know what to do with."

"Well that's not quite what I meant, but you can donate a few Sickles if you'd like," Draco responded, putting some of the silver coins into Scorpius's palm. The excited boy then placed them in the container.

"Oh, thank you for donating Scorpius, and Draco," the voice from earlier finally emerged behind the counter.

"Sorry for keeping him," she addressed Draco. "It was my fault. He was assisting me with returning books, and was a very good helper. Now let's get you two checked out and on your way."

Draco looked up and smiled at the woman behind the register. "Hello, Granger, it is good to see you again. How are you?"

"I'm doing well. Keeping busy chasing around two kids under the age of five." She smiled at the mention of her children.

"_She really is beautiful_," Draco thought to himself. Ever since he'd found out she was as divorced as he, he'd tried to work up the nerve to ask her out, but to no avail. He never had any of that so-called Gryffindor courage.

Hermione was ringing up the purchases when she paused. "Draco, what is this? 'A Witch's Guide to Picking Up Wizards'?" A chuckle escaped her lips.

"_Crap_," Draco thought, remembering earlier, when he had quickly picked up a book to look occupied to avoid getting caught staring at Hermione. "Um, I told my secretary, I would pick it up for her." He prayed his cheeks didn't flush with the lie.

Luckily he was saved by his son. "Papa, I need to mitercate," Scorpius interrupted.

"It's micturate, Scorp. But you can just say you need to use the loo."

"But Grandfather says it's not dignified." Scorpius huffed then started walking towards the restrooms.

"Scorpius, you just turned five. You don't have to be dignified yet." Draco called after his son. "Please don't be so dignified yet," he said to himself this time, and then looked up at Hermione. "I just want him to be a little kid as long as possible. I don't want him going through what I did."

Hermione rested her hand on his soothingly. "I know the feeling. I want my kiddos to just get to be kids. Though I don't know how I'll be able to handle them having _normal_ years at Hogwarts when it comes time. I don't even know what that is!"

As they were both laughing over that truth, Draco felt a tugging on his robes. "Papa, up please!"

Draco lifted his son up and set him on the counter. "You're getting too big for this," he chastised his son.

He turned to Hermione and asked her, "Do yours pull this too?" as he gestured towards Scorpius.

"Oh yes," Hermione agreed. "Especially since the divorce, both Rose and Hugo have become _very_ clingy. They haven't quite grasped the idea that Ron and I still love them just the same, even though we've split. Whenever one of us leaves the kids, they are afraid we're leaving forever. We are managing though."

"Where are they this week? I think Scorpius missed playing with them today," Draco said.

Hermione explained, "Oh they're at Molly's usually on Thursdays. Last week I just had them here with me because Molly was at an appointment. If I keep them here too often, I don't get any work accomplished."

"Most understandable. I have the same issue with this one," he responded and handed over his galleons for their purchases.

As the transaction finished, Draco swung Scorpius onto his hip. "Come on, buddy, we've got to get back for your piano lesson. Last one before your big recital. "

"Ooh, Ms. 'Mione? Would you like to come to my recital? It's next week. You could bring Rose, but maybe Hugo is too little. And after, Papa said he's going to take me wherever I want to go for dinner, and I wanna go to McDonald's! And we can play and eat and go down the slides. It'll be so much fun!"

Hermione chuckled at Scorpius's words. "Breathe kiddo! You'll have to owl me the details though, okay?" She leaned in close when she noticed Scorpius gesturing her closer.

He whispered as well as any five-year-old could, which was not very well. "You can sit with Papa and keep him company. Grandmother says he needs a lady friend. And that if he didn't stop sulking since Mummy left, I'd be asking out girls before he does. I don't get it, but I think she's right cuz I just asked you!"

Hermione pulled back in shock, and tried to contain her laughter at Draco's flushed face.

"Okay, Scorp, no more conversations with your grandmother without me."

He turned towards Hermione. "Out of the mouth of babes, yeah?" Draco could feel his cheeks still burning. He was halfway jealous his son had managed to do what Draco had wished to since he found out Hermione was as divorced as he was.

Hermione just chuckled and handed Draco his bag of purchases. "Don't worry about it. I deal with the same from Rose. These kids are too smart for their own good!"

Then she leaned up towards Draco's ear and whispered, "I'm glad one of you has enough Gryffindor courage to ask me out. I'll see you at the recital." She winked at him as she pulled away.

Draco smiled back at her. "We will owl you this evening. Have a good day, Hermione."

"You too, Draco. Bye Scorpius!" She called out as the blond pair left the building.

As the door swung shut, Draco hissed at his son, "Scorpius! What did you do!?"

"I got you a date, Papa! Grandmama will be so happy!"

It took all of Draco's willpower not to groan, knowing his mother's reaction would be exactly that.


End file.
